Scientific Jury Selection (SJS) is simply the application of Social science techniques and expertise to choose favorable juries during civil or criminal trials.
Some of my questions regrading SJS are:
What is the aim of Scientific Jury Selection?
What are the processes involved in selecting juries?
How effective is this method in producing better juries?
Please, I earnest look forward to your answers and valid contributions.
Best regards.
This is the first I've heard of this process.
But I managed to find some useful info and will summarise as well as post the link at the bottom of the summary.
Pre-1970s
Pre-1970s jury selection was mostly carried out by attorneys based on hunches.
Traditonally, lawyers were influenced by various stereotypes that would influence whether they excused the venirepersons (jurors).
1972
1972 and "Harrisburg Seven trial of Vietnam War resisters" was the first to employ a mix of traditional methods and a survey of 840 people. The individuals who were surveyed were asked for opinions about war, antiwar individuals etc.
Thus the respondents were classified as either 'good' or 'bad' jurors. At the beginning of the trial, those jurors who matched certain classifications of the survey would be excused.
Your Questions Answered so far
The aim of scientific jury selection is to remove the ambiguity of jury selection for trial to decide which jurors will give the best chance of a favourable outcome.
Generally the process involves a survey of the population to assess attitudes towards the key topic. (drunk driving etc)
To answer three the article I've given the link to posits that there is a mixed response to these methodologies. Despite early stats revealling only minor improvements, this has to be contrasted towards traditional methods as being only 50% effective.
Link:
http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/forensic-psychology/scientific-jury-selection/